Chapter 65

"Hmm. Is this the report from Balan?"

In a corner of the Labyrinth District, located at the top of the cross section on the north side of the Border City Shields, in a room of a house still under renovation, Helian reached for the next document.

The new room, a six-mat room, was a bit too spacious and unsettling for Masaki Tsujimoto, who had been living in a single room. However, the privacy it offered, unlike an inn, was significant. While it didn't provide the absolute sense of security like the bedroom in the castle, it was still his own private room. No lawless intruders could enter without knocking. As a result, Helian could spend time in his natural state without worrying about acting, something he hadn't been able to do in a long time.

"…Well, as expected, it's pretty much what I thought."

The document in his hand was one of the reports brought by the reinforcements from the homeland, specifically the recent report from Balan. It summarized the activities of the Seventh Legion, which had been dispatched to Rathwood, highlighting key points. Notable items included the movements of the Seventh Legion Commander and various other matters.

The Seventh Legion Commander, Robin, is a mixed breed, born to a mischievous gnome and a dwarven engineer. He was born with a high aptitude for being a craft unit, and both of his parents were excellent craftsmen, making him a promising monster.

In fact, Robin has created numerous inventions and equipment. For example, the armor worn by Balan and some of the decisive weapons used by the Legion Commander are his creations. Additionally, about 60% of the equipment used by the deputy commanders, or the core members of the legion, are Robin's works. While other craftsmen of the Seventh Legion are also diligently working on production, it is extremely rare for their equipment to surpass Robin's. This fact alone demonstrates the depth of Robin's technical skills.

He is not suitable for mass production, but when it comes to unique, irreplaceable items, he is a genius whose skills no one can match. That is Robin as a craft unit.

However, his personality is a different story. His character traits, such as "mischievous," "hedonistic," and "selfish," are so pronounced that it's no wonder he has already caused trouble in Rathwood, his assigned location. The details are unclear, but it seems there are already victims of his mischief.

...I feel apologetic, but this was the result of carefully considering who should be dispatched. After comparing the current situation with future prospects, he was the only choice.

"Hm?"

While silently apologizing to the locals in his heart, a knock came on the door of his room. From the calm knocking, he could guess who it was. He gave permission to enter, and as expected, Reeve appeared.

"Excuse me. ...How are you feeling today?"

"Fine."

He answered succinctly. This was the third time today that Reeve had asked about his health. It seems he is asked this every time they meet lately.

While he thinks Reeve is overly worried, it is true that he can only be active for a few hours a day and is still in a semi-convalescent state. Moreover, on the way back from the border lord's residence the other day, he had shown a pitiful sight in front of Reeve, so he couldn't be too assertive.

He wanted to at least inspect the town or show his face, but every time he tried to go out, he received a silent plea. Although he wasn't directly stopped with words, his amber eyes spoke volumes. His ears and tail also conveyed his feelings. Being able to read emotions so easily had its pros and cons. As a result, he was in a mental semi-house arrest.

...It has been a considerable amount of time since he came to the border city, yet he has only visited a part of the Labyrinth District, a corner of the commercial district, and the border lord's residence. This is not a good situation.

"So, is there something you need?"

"Yes. Sir Helian, you have a visitor."

"Visitor?"

Who could it be? The only person who came to mind was Sion, whom the border lord had mentioned might visit soon, but now it seems that might have been a formality. He couldn't think of anyone else.

"It's Lord Beiger and his companion."

"Beiger... The adventurer from the Labyrinth outbreak?"

Reeve mentioned the name of the middle-aged adventurer he had met during the Labyrinth outbreak. He had also served as a guide during subsequent Labyrinth explorations.

"Yes. They say it's a visit to express gratitude and to see how you are doing. What would you like to do?"

"There's no need to turn away a guest who has come all this way. Please show them to the reception room... Ah, no, I'll go to them."

It was an unexpected visit, but it could be considered timely. He wanted to get some feedback on the nearly completed first-floor shop.

He put away the document he was holding and headed downstairs with Reeve.

"Hey, Beiger and Jeff! Long time no see, guys. How are you doing?"

"Hey, Mr. Galdy! As you can see, I'm doing great!"

"I'm glad to see you both are doing well. We were quite indebted to you both back then."

On the first floor, Galdy, Beiger, and his companion were exchanging greetings. Jeff, a male adventurer and a member of Beiger's clan, who had accompanied him during the Labyrinth exploration, was introduced for the first time. Galdy naturally mentioned both their names and started a lively conversation. ...He seems to have good social skills. I'm a bit envious.

"Hey, young master."

Beiger, with his shaved head, raised his hand. In his other hand, he held a cylindrical object wrapped in paper.

"Long time no see, young master. I heard you were bedridden, but are you feeling better now?"

"Yes, I apologize for the worry. As you can see, I'm feeling much better."

He felt Reeve's gaze from beside him but ignored it. Since he hadn't done much today, his condition was actually not bad.

"But, you know, merchants are serious business. Not that I doubted you, but it just didn't seem to fit you, young master."

"Hehe... I'm aware I'm young. I'm quite humbled by the grand building in such a prime location."

"No, that's not what I meant... Anyway, here, this is a bit early, but it's a pre-opening gift. It's not much, but please accept it."

Beiger handed him a cylindrical item. When he unwrapped the paper, it revealed a bottle filled with a crimson liquid. The label on the bottle indicated it was alcohol.

Galdy's eyes seemed to gleam at the sight.

Next, Jeff opened the bag he was carrying and started placing the contents on a new table. They were all the same bottles. In total, nearly twenty bottles were lined up on the table. From the design on the labels, they seemed to be quite high-end.

"Thank you for your trouble, Lord Beiger."

"No problem. It's also a way to express gratitude for your help before. Oh, and please don't call me Lord Beiger. It makes me uncomfortable, as I mentioned before."

"Leader, leader. It's not good to mention 'buttocks' in front of women. It reveals your true nature."

"Shut up. Don't act all high and mighty just because there are pretty women around."

Helian responded with a wry smile to Beiger's banter. He seemed to have a similar wavelength to Galdy.

Galdy was giving him a heated look, but drinking during the day was out of the question. Well, it's fine for me, but Reeve would probably get angry. If I give permission after nightfall, he won't complain.

"By the way, Mr. Beiger. If you don't mind, would you like to see the goods I plan to sell? I'd like to hear your opinions as adventurers."

"We can take a look, but we can only give you ordinary opinions, you know?"

"Both me and the leader are not experts in business. We mainly sell our loot to the guild."

Beiger and his companions warned him, but Helian replied that it was fine and led them to the back of the store, where the goods were temporarily stored.

＋ ＋ ＋

"...What is this?"

Beiger muttered in a tone of disbelief as soon as he saw the items. Along the walls were colorful bundles of fabric, containers filled with potions, and what seemed to be bone carvings, but what caught Beiger and Jeff's attention were several pieces of jewelry.

The intricate designs on the necklaces and earrings were so fine that even a layman could appreciate their craftsmanship, but what surprised them was the realization of the materials used.

"I thought I had a good night's sleep, but I'm still groggy. These necklaces look like something I see every day..."

"...No, I don't think you're groggy, leader. I see the same thing. This is a magic stone, and a high-purity one at that."

Beiger was holding a necklace made from what appeared to be a high-purity magic stone. All the decorations, except for the chain, were made from processed magic stones, emitting a mysterious glow.

"What do you think? Would this be a good item for collectors?"

"...Well, it would sell, but only to wealthy collectors with more money than sense. The craftsmanship is amazing, but there's no demand."

High-purity magic stones are valuable in themselves. They often contain compressed magic power and can be used as excellent catalysts even in their raw form. They can also be processed and integrated into weapons to serve as a medium for magic enchantments, and as a fuel for long-lasting magical items, which are in demand among both adventurers and nobles.

However, the jewelry made from what appeared to be high-purity magic stones could not be used for any of these purposes. The designs prioritize aesthetics, making each piece very small and the shapes extremely complex, significantly reducing their strength.

While there are specialized techniques for cutting magic stones to direct the flow of magic, none of these techniques were used here. The items were only processed as decorative objects through carving and shaping. The complex shapes further reduced their ability to withstand the release of magic. If used as a catalyst for magic, they would shatter into pieces after a single use.

In other words, these items have no value as magic stones.

On the other hand, the craftsmanship and the unique glow of the magic stones make them excellent as decorative items. However, such high-purity magic stones processed into decorative items, which ignore practicality, would only appeal to a niche market of wealthy collectors who buy rare and exotic items.

Beiger's response succinctly captured this reality.

"By the way, which craftsman made these? Considering the potential uses of the raw materials, it's a waste to cry over."

"Indeed, that's the evaluation I expected."

"Exactly. The unprocessed materials might have fetched a higher price."

As Beiger said, these necklaces have low practical value as magic stones and no demand from the general customer base. They would likely elicit a sigh of disappointment and harsh